Shifting Irani to Textile does not absolve her ‘crimes’: Kanhaiya on HRD re-shuffle

July 6, 2016, 2:29 PM IST

New Delhi : Asserting that the recent Cabinet shuffling was done keeping the upcoming Uttar Pradesh polls in mind and not to fix the errors of the Centre, JNU Student Union President Kanhaiya Kumar on Wednesday called on the newly appointed Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar not to follow in the steps of his predecessor- Smriti Irani.

Continuing his long-drawn attack on Irani, who was appointed as the new Union Textile Minister, Kanhaiya stated that simply shifting her to another Ministry, does not absolve her from her crimes.

“Our simple question is this: How can you ensure justice by simply transferring one minister to another ministry? By making her the textile minister, her role as the education minister, especially in the Rohith Vemula case, does not lessen her crime. Those who suffered because of her influence be it in the FTII case, Hyderabad University or JNU, have not received justice yet,” he said.

However, the JNUSU President admitted that this development was seen as an improvement in the system but added that it was worrying that Javadekar had said he will consult Irani and continue her works.

“What work is he exactly talking about that he is going to continue? Are you talking about more suicides by dalit students? Or appointing unqualified people to high posts in universities? Or attack students? He has not clarified in this regard,” Kanhaiya said.

Emphasizing that he has no animosity with the government but only with the system, he added that Irani’s transfer was simply a move to pacify the student body of the nation who were still furious with her and to shift focus from the Rohith Vemula case.

“She has not been ‘removed’, but has been strategically replaced keeping UP Polls in mind. Since the Dalit community and the student body are still enraged with the, she has been shifted to the Textile Ministry. Changing ministries doesn’t change the situation,” he said.

Posing questions for Javadekar, who will assume his role as the HRD Minister tomorrow, Kanhaiya asked if he will resolve the issues that Irani failed to solve, which included the removal of FTII Chairman Gajendra Chauhan and the increase in the budget of the New Education Policy.

Earlier today, shaking off suggestions that she had been demoted in the union council of ministers, Smriti Irani said she is looking forward to her ministerial stint in the textile ministry and is determined to strengthen India’s presence in this sector.

“Extended best wishes to @PrakashJavdekar ji who assured that he will build upon the initiatives undertaken by @HRDMinistry in last 2 years,” she said in a series of tweets.

Meanwhile, asserting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a vision for education, Javadekar said he will consult with everybody as this was everybody’s subject.

“It touches everybody’s hearts. I will discuss with Smriti ji also, who has taken very good initiatives in two-year tenure. We will have a roadmap clearly,” he told the media here.

In yesterday’s cabinet reshuffle, the third since Narendra Modi assumed office on May 26, 2014, 19 new cabinet ministers were sworn in. Javadekar was elevated to cabinet rank and given the HRD Ministry, while Irani was moved out to textiles as it was reportedly perceived that her HRD stint was laced with controversies. (ANI)